1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a cowl latching system, or mechanism and, more particularly, to a cowl latching system that allows the operator of a marine vessel to install or remove the cowl, from a position within the marine vessel,.without having to precisely align the cowl with the outboard motor during the initial steps of the installation or removal procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different cowl latching systems are known to those skilled in the art of outboard motor manufacture and design. The cowl of an outboard motor is intended to provide a protective cover over the engine and related components of an outboard motor. The cowl must be latched to the outboard motor to prevent inadvertent disconnection of the cowl from the outboard motor during operation of a marine vessel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,875,883, which issued to Slattery on Oct. 24, 1989, discloses a latch assembly for releasably securing cowl sections of an outboard motor. A cowl assembly for an outboard motor, including an upper cowl section and a lower cowl section is provided with an improved latch assembly. The latch assembly incorporates a pivotable hook connected to one of the cowl sections, which is engageable with a hook engaging member provided on a catch mechanism connected to the other cowl section. Due to the presence of a compressible seal between the upper and lower cowl sections, relative vertical movement is possible therebetween, and thereby between the hook and the hook engaging member. The improved latch mechanism incorporates a retainer mechanism for preventing disengagement of the hook from the catch mechanism during such relative vertical movement of the cowl sections, for ensuring that the cowl sections remain secured together during compression of the compressible seal between the cowl sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,194, which issued to Wagner on May 22, 1990, describes an interlock latch assembly for releasably securing cowl sections of an outboard motor. An interlock mechanism is provided for a latch assembly which releasably secures upper and lower cowl sections of an outboard motor. The interlock mechanism is movable between a locking position and a release position, and is normally disposed in its locking position, such as by a coil spring. The interlock mechanism is mounted to the latch handle, which is pivotably mounted to one of the cowl sections. A hook is interconnected with the latch handle, and is engageable with a catch assembly provided on the other of the cowl sections. The interlock assembly normally engages a stationary engagement pin provided on one of the cowl sections, which prevents accidental pivoting movement of the latch handle. The interlock mechanism is manually moveably to its release position, so that the latch handle can be pivoted so as to disengage the hook from the catch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,248, which issued to Daleiden et al on Jun. 9, 1992, discloses a cam-type latching mechanism for securing cowl sections together. A latch system for securing upper and lower cowl sections of an outboard motor is disclosed. The latch system comprises a catch assembly located at one end of the cowl assembly, and a latch mechanism located at the other end of the assembly. The catch assembly includes a catch lock mounted to one of the cowl sections, with a catch slot formed in the catch block. A roller member is mounted to the other of the cowl sections, for engaging the catch slot. The catch slot is formed so as to provide an end wall against which the roller is maintained when the cowl sections are secured together, with the material of the catch block engaging the roller member to prevent relative vertical movement between the cowl sections. A cam block is located at the same end at the same end of cowl assembly as the latch mechanism and is mounted to one of the cowl sections. A cam follower is mounted to the other of the cowl sections and engages a cam surface formed on the cam block for facilitating movement of the roller member into the catch slot. A stationary latch member is engageable by a movable latch member in response to movement of the latch handle, to maintain the cam follower within the cam slot, and thereby to maintain the catch rollers within the catch slots. Relative vertical and horizontal movement between the cowl sections is thus prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,338,236, which issued to Dunham et al on Aug. 16, 1994, describes a latch mechanism for an outboard motor cowl assembly. The outboard motor comprises a propulsion unit which includes a propeller shaft and a powerhead drivingly connected to the propeller shaft, and a cowling surrounding the powerhead, the cowling comprises a first cover member including an outer surface having therein a recess, a second cover member mating with the first member, and a selectively engageable latch mechanism for securing the second member to the first member. The latch mechanism includes a latch handle which is supported by the first member, which is movable in a first direction between a flush position wherein the latch handle is in the recess and is flush with the remainder of the outer surface of the non-flush position wherein the latch handle extends from the recess, and which is movable in a second direction to engage and disengage the latch mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,031, which issued to Boda et al on Jul. 4, 1989, discloses a rotary latch mechanism for securing cowl sections of an outboard motor. The outboard motor has a cowl assembly having an upper cowl section and a lower cowl section and includes various features for improving the structural integrity of the cowl assembly and for providing a water-resistant seal at the joint between the cowl sections and at various points of entry of cables and other mechanical devices. A rotary latch mechanism includes an internal hook connected to a shaft leading to an external rotatable handle. The shaft is supported on either side of the point of engagement of the hook to the shaft. In particular, a bearing is formed integrally with the bottom of the lower cowl section and is adapted to receive an end of the shaft for support thereof. The catch for the latch mechanism is provided with a hook-receiving member having support on both sides of the point of engagement of the hook-receiving member by the hook. A pair of depending arms is connected to an upper plate, which is adapted for direct connection to a pair of columnar lugs formed integrally with an end of the upper cowl section.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,396, which issued to Crane et al on Jul. 15, 1986, discloses a cowl latch for an outboard motor. A latch for the cowl of an outboard motor engine includes a catch mounted on one of the cowl members. A lever is pivotally attached to the other cowl member and a resilient spring member is pivotally attached to the lever. The lever and spring member act to provide an overcenter action on the lever when the latch is closed. The lever includes a shield to conceal the latch assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,194, which issued to Walsh on Sep. 7, 1982, discloses a cowl for an outboard motor. A cowl for the powerhead of an outboard motor includes two bottom cowl members attached together by screws which also mount a latch bracket and a hinge member. The latch bracket supports a latch mechanism which, with the hinge member, serves to hold a top cowl member in place.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/172,336 (M09576), which was filed by Walczak et al on Jun. 14, 2002, discloses an integral cowl latching mechanism for an outboard motor. The latching mechanism for the cowl of an outboard motor comprises a base portion that is formed as an integral part of the cowl structure itself. This integral base portion, which is shaped as one or more bosses, eliminates the need for additional brackets and fasteners to attach the latching mechanism to the cowl structure. The boss portion, which is an integral part of the cowl, is shaped to receive a pivot member and a latch to complete the structure of the latching mechanism. A latch pin, which is attached to another component, is shaped to be received through a hole in the boss portion to allow the latch to captivate the latch pin when the latch is in a latching position. This attaches the two cowl members, or cover members, to each other. The integral cowl latching mechanism is particularly suited for use in combination with the cowl latching system which will be described below.
The patents described above are hereby expressly incorporated by reference in the description of the present invention.
A cowl latching system for an outboard motor, made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, comprises a cowl structure which is removably attachable to the outboard motor. It also comprises a retainer attached to the outboard motor. A first retention member is attached to the retainer, and is movable relative to the retainer between an extended position and a retracted position. A similarly configured second retention member is also provided. The first and second retention members are urged into their respective extended positions when no external force is present to urge the first and second retention members into their respective retracted positions. A catch device is attached to the cowl structure and it comprises a first extension portion and a second extension portion. The first and second extension portions can be disposed in a generally parallel association with each other. The first extension portion has a first extension surface and the second extension portion has a second extension surface. The first and second extension portions are spaced apart by a preselected distance which is selected to allow a portion of the retainer to pass between them. The preselected distance is also selected to urge the first and second retention members into their respective retracted positions when the catch device is moved along a first path in a first direction relative to the retainer. The catch device is removable from the retainer while the first and second retention members remain in their respective extended positions when the catch device is moved along a second path in a second direction relative to the retainer. The first and second directions are nonparallel to each other. The first and second retention members are shaped to prevent the first and second extension portions from moving past them, along a third path in a third direction, when the first and second retention members are disposed in their respective extended positions. The third direction is generally opposite to the first direction.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the retainer is attached to a forward half of the outboard motor. The first and second extension surfaces are disposed in contact with the first and second retention members, respectively, when the first and second retention members are disposed in their respective extended positions to prevent the first and second extension portions from moving past the first and second retention members along the third path in the third direction.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cowl latching system further comprises a locking mechanism attached to the cowl structure and a pin mechanism attached to the outboard motor. The locking mechanism is shaped to receive the pin mechanism and retain the pin mechanism therein. This particular embodiment of the present invention, which incorporates a locking mechanism and a pin mechanism, is particularly suited to implement the use of the integral latching mechanism describes above in conjunction with patent application Ser. No. 10/172,336 (M09576) which is shaped to retain a latch pin, or pin mechanism. The locking mechanism is attached to a rearward half of the outboard motor in a preferred embodiment. The first direction described above is generally downward from a position above the retainer when the outboard motor is in its normal operating position. The second direction is generally forward and away from the outboard motor when the outboard motor is in its normal operating position. The catch device is movable, along a fourth path in a fourth direction, toward the retainer to place the first and second extension portions at positions on opposite sides of the retainer while the first and second retention members are disposed in their respective extended positions, and remain in those positions as the catch member is movable along its fourth path in the fourth direction. The fourth direction is generally opposite to the second direction described above.
The first and second extension portions can be metallic and comprise planes which are generally parallel to each other. The catch device, along with its first and second extension portions and first and second extension surfaces, can be a one piece metallic structure. The first and second extension portions can be generally planar in shape.